The skyrocketing cost of Sunnyvale's generous pension benefits have been squeezing the city's ability to fund important city services such as public safety, street and sidewalk repair, infrastructure improvements, senior services and recreational services. While benefits were increased, we were forced to reduce the number of employees providing the services we want and need. We need more employees, not less, to provide the services we need and deserve.

Previous City Councils promised generous, retroactive benefits without any regard for how to fund them. This year the city will spend $30 million to subsidize employee pensions. And the city will still be straddled with an unfunded liability of over $250 million.  

 

In 2011 I co-founded the grassroots organizationSunnyvale Pension Reform to educate the residents about the urgency of this problem, and to persuade the City Council to begin to tackle this crisis. Unfortunately, the current City Council is reluctant to take the big steps necessary to get this massive problem under control. This is the primary reason I decided to run for City Council.

 

We must not let Sunnyvale fall into the unpleasant situation that occurred in San Jose last year. When you elect me to the City Council, you can count on me to make the difficult decisions necessary to address the high cost of employee pensions, the enormous unfunded liability, and to guarantee a competitive and sustainable pension plan for our dedicated city employees.

Paid for by Andy Frazer for Council 2013

FPPC #1354898